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®be JMlmita Wurnal VOL. XXVII. NO. 35 LISTING LIABILITIES, iJRENCH MINISTERS IGNORE WAR DEBTS No Intention of Repudiation, elemental Says, but Burden Should Be Eased FARIS, Dec. 27. —(By the Asso ciated Press.) —France's war debts to America and Great Britain, amount ing close to 31,000,000,000 gold francs, ( are absent from the liabilities of the French treasury as shown Saturday in a balance sheet issued by the : French ministry of finance. The amounts due Fiance from oth er countries, including Russia, for war and post-war advances, amount ing to about 15 billion gold francs, also are not included in the assets. The inventory was issued “for non . party purposes,” with the view of * creating confidence by a clean breast of the facts, ;is the document says. On the other hand, 103 billion pa per francs, ns the capitalization of the French share in the'Dawes plan annuities, are included in dhe as sets. Although the figures are omitted from the balance sheet, inter-allied debts are freely discussed throughout several pages of inventory. Finance Minister Clementel, renewing the I French thesis that these debts form part of the general allied resources pooled in war time, argues that a strict equity would seem to demand a general addition of war expenses and their distribution among lhe al lies in proportion to the wealth of each, without takifrg into account special undertakings imposed by monetary necessities. Argues for Reduction The finance minister insists that France, therefore, is entitled to spe cial treatment. He remarks in the inventory that the choice of French soil as a battlefield saved the allies much blood and money. He also avers that America and Great Brit ain pocketed duties on profits made hy American and British firms which fulfilled French war-time orders. He j suggests that the amount of these i duties should be deducted from the I French debt. M. elemental concludes his state ment by declaring. France has no intention of repudiating her debts, but that she Is convinced an appeal tn conscience, and the sentiments of justice of the allies will not be in vain.. The French government as a “go ing” concern, is valued at 796,830,- . 000(400 francs, according to the bal ance sheet, Issued to show the terrors and weaknesses of our financial policy,” blame for which Is put on. the preceding govern ments. Against this total of assets the finance minister lists the debts and pending obligations, exclusive of American and British debts, at 660,320,000,000 francs* ) The statement, which is under the date of July 31 this year, gives the Internal debt in round numbers at 278,000,000,000; the external debt, not Including inter-allied debts, at 19,500,000,000, and pensions, capital ized at five per cent, at 64,100,- 000,000 francs. In addition there are obllgatons listed such as completion of nsto ration of the devastated reguns, which is placed at 22,000.00'000 francs: permanent military chaijes, capitalized at 5 per cent, 111.W0,- ' 000,000; permanent civil chaises, 146,000,000,000, and other ittips amounting 19,500,000 francs. Assets Then Listed I The listed assets have as* tneir largest items, permanent taxes. e.pi talized at 5 per cent. 596,000,0001)00; railroads, 70,000,000,000; Saare mpes, 1,400,000,000; public buildings hnd other properties, 10,650,000,000; for ests, 5,300,000,000, and income t|om l Dawes’ plan operations, 10,300,t00,- k 000 francs. The statement doesnot ”, Include property such as caiHls, \ which are unsalable and difficul to value. A discussion of inter-allied <|bts Is utilized In tlie statement to rpbi lize arguments for a reduction of these obligations. In this resect, the statement says: “If one leaves the juridical grand I v to rise to higher views of co-opra- Vition and equity, strict justice wuld ‘ seem to demand a pooling of tar expenses and their distribufon among among the allied states |ro portionally to the riches of ekh, and without keeping account of Ihe particular engagements undertrien because of momentary »necessitls.” * Another argument for a reduifion A is that the United States and <4eat \ Britain collected taxes on business done with the money loaned Frace, and, therefore, that amount sltuld at least be deducted. The reduc tion of German reparations ahi is advanced in support of better tinis for inter-allied debts, but "Friice \does not mean” the statement jon cludcs, “to repudiate any confect | she made, and her signature kill | always be sacred to her.” Nevenie-1 less, the statement insists hat France “is convinced an appea to the sentiment of the just will nolbe in violation.” Finds Only $74 Bill Y Instead of $900,00$ Inheritance Expectd RICHMOND. Va.. Dec. 2>- Commg here to collect a repotid million dollar inheritance. Emntt 1.. Griffin, factory worker of Da ville, Va„ found his “estate” a n»0. and instead a $74 clothing bill stars v him in the face. * "We'll sue him if he doesn't r. v it, sure, now that we've found hit’’ Griffins creditor of many month N. Askin, proprietor of a chain-stv system, said Saturday night. Griffin was notified of his inh«l lance of the "900,000 Flora esta” by E. Kadison, one of Askin's crctt men here On the strength of te promise that the estate would c y probated next month, Griffin beust l an automobile, toured North Ca»- ’ llna. and returning, promised all s friends here and in Danville “st jobs and businesses of their own r the rest of their lives.” "I don't know anything about *’ Askin smilingly salil when told oi rial records showed no "Flora s* tate” existed. "But I'm mighty gd we found him " X Griffin left Saturday (or T’an'le W n his new car. better it Hiked «* jp that his ‘‘estate" was an aircastlef r the eredlt man. Published Every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday MAINE GOVERNOR WINS FIGHT FOR DOG’S MEMORIAL (Copyright. .1924, by the Consolidated Press Association —Special Leased Wire to 'Die Atlanta Journal.) BY JAMES CARSON AUGUSTA, Me., Dec. 27.—The un | thinking protests of mere man can ‘ not deprive a dog of his last and I well won honors. The dog Garry, ; the Irish dog. chief pal of Governor ' Percival P. Baxter, and known as “assistant governor of Maine” dur : ing his lifetime, will have his of : ficial and monumental “in memori am” after all. * Despite the criticism of numerous persons and organizations who de clared it disgraceful for a dog to ’ be given higher honors than most men, a large bronze tablet is to be • dedicated to the memory of- the dog, 1 the governor's faithful friend, who , unlike many of his friends, never betrayed or thought ill of him. The most conspicuous site obtainable in the state house,, at one end of the ; museum in the basement where hun dreds of children and adults passed daily, has been assigned for the tab let. The controversy over the reaction of a memorial to Garry arose more i than a year and one-Jjalf ago when ' Go', —nor Baxter o'-Here,] the official ( flag on the state house lowered on ' the death of his dog Garry, and kept it at half mast in token of mourn ing until he had returned from his summer home on Mackworth island, near Portland, after “the funeral.” Officials of i l.u G. A. R. made and later retracted a protest that , the tribute 19 a dead dog was “an in sult to every soldier.V Discussions waxed heated then, and a few weeks ago the governor induced his coun cillors to vote unanimously for the erection of an official memorial and the dog. Although the governor was to defray all expenses. Objections were raised from many quarters. The protests were so numerous that the original plan to place a boulder bearing a bronze tablet on the state house lawn was abandoned. But now it has been settled. The tablet is being made by a Providence firm, and will hang on the wall of the musqum where students, animal lovers and careless h”mnns who do not love their animal friends well enough must see it. , jury will probe' SHOOTING OF WIFE OF‘RAIDING PASTOR’ I BUCHANAN, Ga., Dec. 27.—The Haralson county grand jury, which . meets during the third week of Janu- ) arv, will Investigate the slaying of Mrs. Robert Stewart, wife of “the raiding pastor” of Draketown, and if indictments are returned against the five men now held in jail here on commitments charging them with murder In connection with the case, they will be placed on trial during the'following week, according to an nouncement today by Solicitor Gen eral Ed Griffith. ( The men in jail are: O. J. Hen derson and his sons, Otis and Her bert; Thomag Fober, Jr., and Cab Bishop. Men Ordered Held for Jury The were ordered hejd for the grand jury following a preliminary hearing several weeks ago on war rants sworn out by Mr. Stewart. Mrs. Stewart; was shot down about a week before by a group of men when she went to the rescue of her husband who was about to be ab ducted. She died two days later at the Wesley Memorial hospital, in Atlanta. Since the slaying, Mr. Stewart, who had been active in the prosecu tion of prohibition law violators, has been transferred to another sec tion of the state by the North Geor gia conference of the Methodist Episcopal church, South, of which he is a member. He will be in at tendance before the grnad jury, it was stated, as he is the state's prin cipal witness. Speedy Trial Wasf Asked The announcement by Solicitor General Griffith is the first since the hearing, at which time defense attorneys stated they would put up no testimony, but requested a speedy trial. Judge Irvin, of the Tallapoosa cir cuit, who presided, stated he would try to give the men a speedy trial before Christmas if the grand jury indicted them. The delay, it was un derstood, hag been occasioned be cause the gr.fhd jury has not met. Jap War With U. S. Almost Impossible Lansing Declares WATERTOWN, N. Y., Dec. 27. | Japan never will make war upon the 1 United States, in the opinion of Rob ert Lansing, former secretary’ of I state, expressed here Saturday. “Japan can not afford to make ■ war upon this country, he said. “She I has no money and no one is going ,to lend her any. Furthermore, she ! has no iron and other raw materials ! necessary for such a conflict." The former member of the "Wilson ■ cabinet declared Japan may take the Philippines from the United States some time, but that if she does she I can not hold them. He advocated a stronger navy. Gen. Foster Is Slated to Succeed Gen. Cochran DALLAS. Texas. Dec. 27.—Gener al James C. Foster, of Houston, | commander of the Texas state United Confederate Veterans prob j ably will be named to succeed Gen eral James Monroe Cochran as com mander of the trans-Misslssippi de partment, U. C. V., it was said Sat urday by well-known veterans in at tendance upon the latter's funeral here. The appointment of General Cochran's successor would be made by General James A. Thomas. Dub- I lin, Ga , commander-in-chief of the ’ U. C. V.. to continue in effect until the regular elections of officers at the forthcoming reunions of the veterans, to be held in Fallxs neat j Mi}. GERMANY REARMING. ALLIES AGREE; HALT EVACUATION PLANS French and Belgians Alarm ed as- Arsenals Are Uncov ered —British Skeptical \PARIS, Dec. 27.—(8y the Associ- , ated Press.) —Germany's alleged vio lations of the treaty of Versailles in respect to armaments were regis tered today by the allied council of ambassadors. The council instruct ed its secretary to draft a note noti fying the German government that the Cologne bridgehead will not. be evacuated, as stipulated in the treaty January 10. The allied ambassadors are unanl- ; mous in recognizing that Germany is j rearming and that progressive with- | drawal from the Rhineland must await further investigation of the interested governments. There was a difference of opinion, however, as j to the importance*of the treaty vio- | lations- and consequent menace j to the security of the allies. Great Britain seemed inclined to ' minimize specific cases of violation | ) eported by the military control mis- I sion, although agreeing that further I light must be had on this matter before a final decision is reached. The French an J Belgians, on the other hand, regarded the alleged dis coveries of newly prepared parts for , 40,000 machine guns, camouflaged in j various ways, as alarming. The stiff attitude of the French government, which favored an im mediate decision that the Cologne bridgehead be held indefinitely pend ing absolute compliance with the Versailles treaty by Germany, sur prised the diplomats in view of the , fact that Premier Herriot’s foreign [ policy has been based largely on a Franco-German entente. This attitude of the French is ex- ; 1 lained in political circles as pro- j ceeding from a conviction on the part of the premier that responsi- | bility for the so-called violations of I the aiYnament clauses of the treaty ■ will be fixed upon the nationalists of | Germany and that the final reaction ' will favor the social-democrats in Germany and facilitate the formation I of an anti-nationalist government in Berlin. ” he socialist organs here, which are supporting the Herriot government, back up the prern'er strongly in his firm stand, although the press gen erally considers that the exposure of Germany’s persistence in ignoring her agreement to disarm has greatly weakened the position of the French government because of tjie confer ence on which it had banked upon , the disposition of the Germans to reach a omnl.*te entente with France. BERLIN OFFICIALS AWAIT FORMAL NOTIFICATION BERLIN, Dec. 27.—(8y the Asso ciated Press.) —Until it is in posses sion of formal notification from the allied council of ambassadors that the Cologne brideghead would not be evacuated January 16, in accord ance with the treaty of Versailles, the German government. will not undertake diplomatic action in the nature of a protest or suggestion that the issue be made the subject of negotiations for the purpose of reaching a definite understanding with the occupational powers re garding their future attitude on ths whole range of problems affecting the Cologne zone and the Ruhr. Official quarters also declined to I discuss the action taken at Paris today, and for-the present, are con fining their comments to sharp refu i tation of charges that Germany is ! still harboring concealed* arsenals, and that her steel plants are equip ped to turn out big guns.* Whether the Marx-Strescrnann cabinet will still be at the helm when the issu ecomes up for formal ac tion is still a matter of conjecture, as the newly-elected reichstag will convene on January 5, and Presi- I dent Ebert is said to be desirous of j bringing the present cabinet crisis Ito a definite conclusion by that time. The nationalist organs, which afe clamoring for the entrance of the VVestarp-von Tirpitz party’into the next government, now support their ! demand on the alleged change in the attitude of Premier Herriot in con- . nection with the existing foreign i problem. The German reactiona- i ries are insisting thta the Anglo- i French procedure in connection with the evacuation of the Cologne j bridgehead proves conclusively that j I a liberal cabinet in Germany would [ be accorded no accommodation in I London and Paris. Several of the newspapers, which question the sincerity of the allied intentions respecting the various dates fixed for vacating the Rhine land and the Ruhr, suspect that if , I the January 10 date is* arbitrarily I I violated there is no assurance that i I the last French soldier will be out ! jof the Ruhr by August 15, which I ■ was t"he extreme limit accepted by I 1 Germany at the London conference. , The German newspapers, regard- ! ; less of party affiliation, are unani | mous in their protest agajnst the i continued occupation of Cologne, al-I | though private sentiment, so far as \ ' they are given untrammeled expres- j I sion, admit thta the presence of the ’ English on the Rhineland might, | I after all, be desirable so long as the I French and Belgians are in the I Ruhr. The prospect of immediate compli cations in Germany's foreign rela tions has quickened the demand in J various quarters tht the national- ; ists be asked to participate in the I new government in order to force | them to assure active responsibility I in the formulation of Germany's > foreign policy. 1' oreign Minister , I Stresemann, in the course of a I lengthv defense of his espousal ol | the nationalists as members of the I government, argues that since this j j party acknowledged the London s agreement was a binding past, it vas j fairly entitled to participate in the I i government, especially as the social i ists. in his opinion, are not always j I dependable when questions of for eign policies await decision, German Phones for Japan SIEMENSTADT, Germany, Dee. I 127.—The Japanese government has I 'ordered 12.0U0 automatic telephones) from a manufacturer of this city.. They are to be installed at Yoko-; I hama to replace the equipment de-' j stroyed by the earthquake. The nets apparatus will be equipped with a I device for insuring the service) i against earthquake dh-turbances, i i PUBLISHERS WANT TIME TD SUBMIT OWN POSTAL DATA Second-Class Rate Increases Will Fall on Farmer, They Tell Committee WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—Protest ing against increases in second class mail rates provided in the adminis tration measure designed to meet salary raises of postal employes, rep resentatives of the American News paper Publishers’ association pro posed to a joint congressional post i office committee Saturday that they i be permitted to draft a rate scale to 1 cover the cost of.their use of the j postal service. The publishers entered vigorous ; objection to the haste with which j they contended congress was treat i ing a problem important alike to the j newspapers and public. They said i insufficient time had been given for I the study of cost ascertainment re- I port of the postoffice department on ) which the proposed rate increases are based and that if given time they would draft a schedule which in their judgment would more nearly meet the equities. I While individual members express- I ed interest in the publishers’ offer, I the committee took no formal action. I Chairman Moses announced the hearings would be pressed early next week with a view to presentation of a report to the senate committee in time for the reporting of the admin istration bill to the senatd before President Coolidge's veto of the pos ) tai pay bill is taken up January 5, under an unanimous consent , agree ment. * Would Hurt Farmers Denouncing the proposed increase in second class rates, spokesmen for the publishers’ association insisted that the administration bill would curtail rural circulation of newspa pers and at the same time fail to bring in additional revenue to the I government. S. E. Thomason, of Chicago, pres- I ident of the association, declared the I increase would hit one class —“the rural readers of metropolitan and other city publications.” Only about ten papers, he estimated, would be able to absorb the proposed increase, while other newspapers would be forced to pass it on to the subscrib ers. “We have an off-peak load regular and continuous, for the postoffice department,” Mr. Thomason said, “and we feel we should receive a preferential rate as other concerns give similar business.” Mr. Thomason approved the the ory of a. suggestion by Representa tive Kelly, Republican, Pennsylva nia, for a graduated scale of rates on secnod class mail, fixed so that larger papers with greater circula tion would be taxed heavier. Volume Suffers as Result Elisha Hanson, Washington repre sentative of the association, and Jerome D. Barnum, of Syracuse, N. j Y., chairman of its postal commit tee, presented data showing that the previous increases in second class rates had curtailed the mail circula tion of daily newspapers from 15 to 40 per cent. Pointing out that since 1912 second class mail was the only class on which congress had raised the rates, they contended that Jiliese advances had increased the revenues 125 per cent but had been accompanied by a large withdrawal of volume from the mails, due to the rate increases. The argument was presented that should congress vote the increases recommended by the postoffice de partment it would find it necessary to revise them downward within two years because the revenues of the department are increasing suffi ciently’ on the present rate struc ture to provide for he salary in crases within that time. FATHER AND SON DIE WHEN TRUCK GOES INTO DITCH ATHENS, Ga., Dec. 27.—Mr, R. C. Adams,, a farmer residing near J here, and his twelve-year-old son, i Alton, were killed early’ Saturday I night when the automobile truck ' driven Wy the boy ran off a stccai I embankment at the Simonton ) bridge on the Athens-Watkinsville ) highway. Cullen Adams, 15, was 1 in the car but escaped with slight ' injuries. According to witnesses the truck ! went off the highway w hen at tempting to pass another car. Adams and his son were crushed to death. New Estimate of Toll In Dynamite Blast • Puts Deaths at Fifty TOKIO, Dec. 27.—(8y the Asso ; dated Press.)—lt is estimated that I fif/y persons were killed and 300 in jured when a dynamite cargo ex ploded Saturday in the harbor of ) Otaru. Hokkaido island,- northeast j ern Japan. The explosion occurred i while six hundred cases of dynamite wore being transferred from a lighter. One large vessel was dam i aged, several small boats sunk and the waterfront was wrecked, This Bible May Be Over 200 Years Old ADEL, Ga., Dec. 27. —W. W. H. ) Dunn, of Cook county, has perhaps I one of the oldest Bibles in this part of the state. It is not known just ■ how old it is, but a birthdate in it i wa« recorded in 1766. Mr. Dunn's I great-grandfather was the original I owner of the Bible, and it has been I handed down. He believes that the j book is at least 200 years old. It j is in a very’ good state of preserva- I tion. ~G ENTLbTSPEEC 11 ~ Two men were becoming abusive lin the course of a political argu | ment. j “I think,” cried one of them. I "that there is just one thing that saxes .m?u from being a barefaced I liar:" "What's that?" asked the other. Your whisker waj>ths replj I li’. Ei.s (Louden). V X MOW SIGHING OFF \ ' (jOcPHiGhT, EvazWY, <3<X>pmiGaT w c./ L. " X JT < t- TV- ■ " ll/ 'Jraiu'rfc. .Jr. f x s ttt| bi J i I -)/ I M i (n I n i -L—j. j NATION’S BUSINESS IS BEST SINGE ISIS. 0. S, OFFICIALS SAY WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.—The new year begins next Thursday with economic conditions set for the most prosperous period since before the World war, many government offi cials stated Saturday night. Stabilization of American business has been effected to/ an extent un realized since 1913, and the big to tals of business during the war days are being approached by the heal thy and solid expansion now under way, reports from a dozen govern mental fact-finding agencies show. “The outstanding event of 1924 was the improvement in agricul ture,” Secretary of Commerce Hoov er said. Farm production of the year will be greater in volume and value than last year. The federal reserve board, in a statement today, notified bank ers of the nation that increases in value of farm crops is officially es timated at 9 per cent, corn and to bacco showing the only decreases in yield. * Stabilization of business proper is shown by reports of new business and failures compiled by financial agencies. Firms that failed during the first 11 months of 1924 had to tal liabilities of $497,946,000, blit the decided rising tone of early Decem ber reports will cut the total for the year proportionately lower, it was said. The failures in the same period last year totaled $487,028,000, but the over-expansion of late 1923 had to be absorbed by the deflation of early 1924, when many businesses closed down. Firms capitalized at more than SIOO,OOO which entered the field took a healthy drop in 1924, indicat ing conservatism in expansion. To tal capital of these new firms in the first 11 months of 1923 was $8,415/ 021,000. but a more normal rate was Restored this year, when the figure was $6,419,866,000. Secretary Hoover regards the Dawes plan for economic recovery of Europe, and the “complete recovery” f American Industry, as “most hope ful” and nearly as important as the farmer’s recovery. Other "outstand ing features” were “great stability of prices, high production, full em ployment, and expanding foreign trade,’’ he said. Brandon Signs Paper For Own Extradition To Georgia Convention MONTGOMERY, Ala., Dec. 27. — Governor William W. Brandon today affixed his signature together with the seal of the state to extradition papers, when served with a requisi tion issued by Governor Clifford Walker of Georgia “to return to Georgia, William W. Brandon, a fu gitive from justice, now said to be .? the state of Alabama.” When infoin.ed the “William W. Brandon” was none other tl;an the Alabama chief executive himself, Governor Brandon said: "The governor of Alabama believes in law enforcement even when it in volves his own person and the requi sition of the governor of Georgia si all be recognized. - ’ The requisition was issued by Gov ernor Walker to assure the attend ance of the Alabama executive at the rational convention of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in Atlanta on December 29. It was made upon the applicaticn of Roy Dorsey, solici tor of the Atlanta criminal court and W. D. Thompson, president of the Atlanta alumni chapter of the fra ternity. The specific charge against the governor of Alabama was that he failed to carry out a commission to pin a fraternity badge on Governor Walker when he was inaugurated tn January, 1923. and was thus “guilty of conduct prejudicial to the good or der and discipline of the fraternity." Atlanta, Ga., Tuesday, December 30,1924 THE NEW BROADCASTER AWAITS GOVERNOR DENIES FINAL APPEAL OF 2 YOUNG SLAYERS Refusing for the second time to commute their death sentences to life 1 imprisonment, Governor Clifford ' Walker on Friday replied to the let ters recently written to him by Wil lie Jones and Gervis Bloodworth, I Taylor county youths, who will die on the gallows January 9 for the | murder of Howard Underwood, a traveling salesman, in December, 1923.. ’ The condemned youths, whose ap peal for clemency was disapproved a few days ago by the state prison commission, and the same day de nied by the governor, wrote letters ■ to the governor immediately after they had been notified of the failure of. their plea. In these communications, the I young men urged that they be per mitted to spend their lives in prison rather than pay the extreme penalty of the law, ascribing the crime to bad associations and bad habits. Mr. Underwood was shot and kill ed after he had picked up the two youths in his automobile on a lonely road in Taylor county. Robbery was the motive for the crime. The text of the governor's letter, a, copy of each being sent to the two defendants, follows: “1 have carefully considered your favor of December 19, and deeply regret that I cannot meet your views in the matter. ‘‘There are two elements Involved in punishment under the law; first, that the criminal, himself, may be converted. I am certain from your representation that you have repent ed of your wrongs, and are willing to do right in the future. However, the second clement is, the element of discouraging others from com ) mitting crime. “The law does not seek to get revenge on those who violate the law, but it does seek to teach a lesson to all others that the viola tion of the law will be followed by certain and proper punishment. “In this respect, then,* it may he that your suffering will result in good to your fellowrnan. . "I respect and admire you for your desire to do good to others, and ) again I commend you to the mercy of an all-wise and forgiving God who will bring pardon to the repentant, in my judgment.” “Verv sincerely, “CLIFFORD WALKER, “Governor.” Seeking Death Thrill, Girl Swallows Poison I CLEVELAND, Ohio. Dec. 27.—A I sixteen-year-old girl who. police say, ; wanted to “experience the thrill of death.” died here early today. The girl, Ruth Williams, drank poison in the home of a neighbor. Her par ents say they believe she took the poison by mistake. "I'd love to experience the. thrill of death,” 'Ruth said, according to Mrs. Ann Stann, whom the girl was i visiting. A few minutes later the ) girl swallowed poison. 5 Reported Killed In “Trotzky ’ Clash COPENHAGEN, Dec. 27.—Five ; workmen were killed and seVeral oth ers wounded in a clash between sup- j porters and enemies of Leon Trotz sky, Russian minister of war, near Kursk, according to dispatches from i Stockholm, quoting advices to the newspaper Tidigens. There have been, repeated reports , from points outside Russia of dis- ( orders within that country but there is no confirmation of these in dis -1 patches direct from Moscow. Mississippian Held as Slayer of Father-in-Law • GULFPORT. Miss., Dec. 27.—Lase i Shirley, held for the murder of his father-in.law, SamueY W. Price, was i remanded without bail, to await the action of the Harrison county grand ■ jury, after a preliminary hearing ' Saturday before Justice Evans. j Shirley is s*id to have struck . Price xvith a yifle during an alter . cation, the injur; provgxf lataL t NOTHING ILLEGAL IN HOME-MMEWINE, 0.5. JUDGE MS CLEVELAND. Ohio. Dec. 27.—A person with two hundred gallons of home-made wine in his home is not subject to arrest, or if arrested and haled before Municipal Sourt Judge Frank L. Stevens, will not be fined providing the Wine is for home -con*- sumption\ and the owner is not sel ling or disbursing the wdne for profit. Judge Stevens declared Sat urday in outlining his policy in handling liquor cases in city court for the coming term. “Federal interpretation of the law was held that one may possess two hundred gallons of home-made wine in his home,” Judge Stevens said, “and hereaftei’ when police bring in citizens for possessing such wine they will be discharged in my' court.” Judge Stevens explained that his interpretation of the law is' made from the section of the Volstead act that permits a householder to make fruit juice if not more than one-half of one per cent alcoholic content. “And everyone knows that such fruit juice if allow'cd to stand will ferment and become wdne,” the judge adds, “And who can say we must regulate the laws of nature.” It has been the custom to fine all persons haled Mnto city court for possession of home-made wine of more than one-half of one per cent alcoholic content. Three N. C. Children Electrocuted as Wire Is Broken by Bullet HAMLET, N. C., Dec. 27.—Three children of Mr. and Mrs. Pearl Mar tin, of Hamlet, were electrocuted at Roberdell, near here late yesterday when they came into contact with a high-powe< electric ttransmission wire which fell to the ground after being severed, according to reports reaching here, by a bullet from a rifle fired by the older of the three children. The dead are: Arthur Martin, 16; Ethel Martin, 11 and, Willie Mar tin, 9. The three children left their home here early yesterday to visit their grandparents at Roberdell. Accord ing to reports from there last night, Arthur was firing a rifle at a target when a bullet struck the electric wire and it fell to he ground, com ing in contact with the fed. Seeing his plight the younger brother and sister tried to rescue him and they also were electrocuted. All three were dead when other persons reached them. Upon brief inquiry, the county cor- j oner decided that a formal inquest was unnecessary. $2o;ooo;ooo inTGoid i Minted at Denver DENVER, Colo., Dec. 27.—A1-. though more than $20,000,000 more precious metal bullion was coined in the Denver mint during 1924 than- in 1923, not a single silver dollar was turned out, Frank E. Shepherd, su perintendent of the mint, announced Saturday. More than 3,00 n ,OOO double eagles were minted. Knoxville Child Is Killed by Auto I KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec. 27. j While crossing a street en route to ] 1 store to get a bottle of milk for his mother*, Milton Allen, eight-year-old lad, was run down and killed by an automobile driven by Miss Myrtle ) Mattes, 21, here today. The woman j stopped Ler c4r after the front wheel 1 hid run oxer the boy's head. The' dead boy was identified at a morgue an hour later by hu brother, Edmond, sent by hu Riother 19 hunt ioXg brother, 9 .* COPY, fl A YEAR. SHEPHERD DENIES WTHffi UNUSUAL IN OmrSILLNESS Will Was Drawn Entirely on Youth’s Initiative, He Tells Questioners CHICAGO, Dec. 27.—(8v the As sociated Press.) —Circumstances at tending the death of William Nelson McClintock, “millionaire orphan,” as he knew them, were laid bare Satur day night by William Shep'ierd, into whose care the boy was ntrusted by Mrs, Emma Nelson M- Clintock, William’s mother, before x’i-e died in 1908. Shepherd, interrogated b-y George R. Gorman and Joseph P Savage, assistant district attorney, denied he was aware of any unnatural cir cumstances surrounding the boy’s death in the Shepherd’s Kenilworth home, Deu-mUc. 4, declaring em phatically that every possible effort had been made to save him. The will, which gave him and his wife; legal guardians of the boy, the bulk of the $1,000,000 McClintock estate, was drawn entirely upon the initiative and suggestion of Billy, She/herd asserted. He and his wife had only the kind* liest feelings for Miss Isabelle' Pope, William’s fiancee, he declared, in denying the statement attributed to him, in which Miss Pope was de scribed as “mercenary.” Under the terms of the will Miss Popo was left an annuity of SB,OOO, although no provision was madq for payment of this sun? - . Wait on Coroner No further report by coroner's ' physicians concerning their autopsy, started Christmas eve when the' body yas exhumed, was made public Sat urday, although Coroner Oscar Wolff, through An assistant, denled-a report which had gained wide circu lation that a trace of solid food had been found in the stomach. Reception of solid foods by typhoid patients usually proves fatal, the coroner’.; office had announced pre viously. *The death certificate gave typhoid fever- as the cause of young McClintock’s death. Shepherd went to the office of State's Attorney Robert E. Crowe late Saturday, accompanied Vy his attorneys, Robert ii. otoll and Ed ward Hedrick. Crowe, Hedrick and Stoll withdrew fter a few perfunc tory questions and Shepherd remain ed to be by Assistant Prosecutors Gorman .and Savage. Shepherd and his wife first came to Chicago in 1907, at which time he first met Mrs. McClintock. Mrs- Shepherd and Mrs. McClintock had been schoolmates in Kansas, he said. After their social, visit with the Mc- Clintocks Shepherd went to Texas to dispose of- somft land holdings for Mrs. McClintock, for which he re ceived a salary. Later hf> built 4 winter home for the McClintocks at Bayview, Texas, to which place Mrs. McClintock went in 1908, although she was ill. She rqturned to Chicago after a month and then telegraphed the Shepherds to come to her. Mrs. Shepherd a 1 rived the day Billy’s mother died.and Shepherd an hour after the funeral was held. Used McClintock Funds Mrs. McClintock left tue estate to Billy, naming Mrs. Shepherd as ex-/ ecutrix and Mrs. Shepherd and A. P. Reichman, attorney, as guardians of the boy. The Shepherds then moved to Kenilworth, where their present home was built by funds from the McClintock estates. The house was kept up by funds from the same source, a court having allotted SI,OOO a month for this purpose. Billy McClintock lived with them as their own son. Shepherd declared, and a great affection sprung up be tween them. Filly always came to him for advice,' he said, and at Christmas, 1923, he told Shepherd he was thinking of making a will. He asked Shepherd how his estate would be disposed of if he were to die in testate, and when informed that the money and property would go to his next of kin, he declared he did not wish to leave anything to ( hls cousins. Seven cousins recently engaged an attorney with the intention of taking legal steps to test the will. Shepherd declared Billy returned to Dartmouth, where he was a stu dent, with the announcement that j he would draw a rough sketch of 1 the will. This he did and gave to ) Shepherd upon his return home two ; days before his birthday last April. ! The will was put into legal form by i Shepherd and its signing witnessed I by two servants of the Shepherd I household. The will then was re i turned to Shepherd’s office where it was kept in an unlocked file. Asked About Marriage In their discussions of the estate, Shepherd said Billy asked if the will i would be automatically annulled in the event of his marriage and was ‘.old that it would be. At the same time Ellly decided to lcav e college and take up a business training course here. He said he and Isabelle Pope were arranging to be married in February, 1925. To the best of his information, Shepherd declared, Billy took sick - at the Dartmouth-Yale game this fall, but did not take to his bed un til ten days later. Dr. R. H. Stolp. the Shepherd family physician, was called, and when he realized the v riousness of Billy's condition, asked that he be permitted to call other physicians into consultation. Shep herd answered that he should do everything in his power to save the boy. Dr. James Herrick, Chicago specialist, was called, and Billy's ill ness diagnosed as typhoid fever. The boy became delirious soon after this announcement was made and remain ed eo, except for a few minutts, un til his death a week later. When he knew that he waz seri ously ill and before he became de lirious, Billy told him, Shepherd de* dared, that Miss Pope had suggest ed that they get married. Billy opposed to this, but thought they could get married when he became convalescent, so that Miss Pope could nurse him t>n a trip to the south, which they had planned. To carry this, plan into effect they de cided that/Shepherd was to tell Miss Pope that the presence of both con tracting parties was necessary in this county to obtain a license to marry. In conveying this informa tion Shepherd also stressed the so cial distinction which a church wed- (CopLi&ued on i, tfilusßa I)